- The 2025 edition of the forum takes place in Rotterdam with a clear objective: accelerating resilience action across Europe
- From Rotterdam, Patricia Caro presents the scientific and technical approach that drives LIFE COSTAdapta as a scalable model within the EU
Brussels, 1 July 2025. Patricia Caro, project manager at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, took part in the 12th edition of the European Urban Resilience Forum (EURESFO25), held from Wednesday 25th of June to Friday 27th of June in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Representing the LIFE COSTAdapta project, she presented to an audience of experts in urban resilience, climate adaptation and risk management, the innovative solutions being developed in Gran Canaria.
During her intervention in one of the forum’s thematic sessions, Caro presented the innovative approach of the LIFE COSTAdapta project, focused on designing nature-based solutions for coastal protection, in relation to the specific situation of the Canary Islands archipelago in terms of coastal vulnerability, urban density along the coastline, and geographic isolation, thus introducing the impacts of climate change and the adaptation strategies developed in the region. She explained how the project is inspired by traditional tidal pool-reefs to build resilient infrastructures that help mitigate the effects of climate change, such as sea level rise or erosion. Her presentation took place in an open, interview style, in which she answered questions from audience and highlighted the potential of these solutions to be adapted and replicated in other vulnerable regions of Europe.
In the panel, which was shared with representatives from other outermost regions such as Guadalupe, common challenges were contrasted, such as exposure to extreme climate events and lack of connectivity. During the session, the artist CarlotaCatt visually captured the topics discussed in a final illustration that summarises the main messages shared:
Visual summary of the session, illustrated by CarlottaCat during EURESFO25
Participation in forums such as EURESFO25 is key to giving visibility to the work carried out in outermost regions like Gran Canaria and to positioning them as spaces for climate innovation. These gatherings, organised by ICLEI and the European Environment Agency(EEA), and co-organised in this edition with the City of Rotterdam and the REGILIENCE project, bring together hundreds of representatives from local administrations, academics, experts, and funders each year. Under the theme “Accelerating Action for Resilience,” the event served as a platform for sharing tangible, transferable, and fundable solutions in the face of an escalating climate crisis.
About LIFE COSTAdapta
LIFE COSTAdapta is a project co-funded by the European Union’s LIFE Programme, led by the Island Energy Council of Gran Canaria, and supported by seven partner entities: the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the University of Cantabria, INGECID, ECOncrete, Raley Estudios Costeros, the Canarias Recicla Foundation, and the Finnova Foundation. With a total budget of €3,409,864 (60% funded by the European Union) and a duration of 7 years, the project aims to design and implement tidal pool–reef systems that protect the coastline from climate change impacts while also promoting biodiversity and sustainable development. The project combines technological innovation, scientific knowledge, and social engagement to create solutions that can be transferred to other coastal regions in Europ